Tuna Sandwiches & Soup

Ok, folks, I think I'm back. Not full-force HausFrau, but back nonetheless. We are happily living in the new Haus in Virginia with the bare minimum of everything - including kitchenwares. Currently, my kitchen utensils include:

one big pot, one little pot, one sautee pan
spatulas & serving spoons
2 decent knives
cutting board
metal bakesheet & large stoneware bar board
grater, strainer
few pieces of plastic storage containers w/lids
2 sizes of Ziplocks

What I am missing that I should have thought of . . . vegetable peeler, can opener & corkscrew.

Yep, I'm subsisting on screwtop individual bottles of wine.

Not only is the kitchen mostly bare, Man is in class for the next 4 weeks at Belvoir & I have to play taxi service (both AM & PM). Obviously, there's preciously little time for cooking & working the magic. So, for the next month, our dinners will be as simple as possible.

Tonight's meal (right after I borrow a can opener from one of my uber-nice neighbors):

Tuna Salad Sandwiches on Whole Wheat Bread

albacore tuna, celery, apple, eggs, red onion, Kosher dill pickles, Miracle Whip & pepper

Served with:

celery & carrot sticks, cucumber slices
chips
canned soup: choice of beef or chicken (I loaded up a Costco last week)

I also found some awesome raspberry/vanilla swirled gelato & we will be having that for dessert.

Wine & Cheese or Tuna Sandwiches

Food Category: Bum Lovin', PG-13 (because of the rotwein)
Difficulty: SuperEasy

This is HausFrau's favorite go-to meal for no fuss, no mess.

Whole grains, calcium, good fat, heart healthy red wine . . . eat & repeat.

Others in my family had tuna sandwiches with leftovers from lunch. I make my tuna with:

• Solid white albacore or chunk light Starkist (the big can)
• chopped celery ribs with leaves
• finely chopped red onion
• 2 chopped boiled eggs
• chopped Kosher dill pickles
• 1/2 chopped red apple
• Miracle Whip -- the bare minimum needed to hold it all together
• pepper, lemon herbed seasoning, fresh parsley

Served preferrably on whole wheat. Certain family members prefer worthless white (Man, Laze-E).

Asian Salads

Food Category: Bum Lovin', High-5
Difficulty: Super Easy

Asian Salads

The Salad Part:

• mixed salad greens
• spinach
• pineapple (fresh or canned)
• mandarin oranges
• cucumbers
• shredded carrots
• sliced green onions
• sugar snap peas
• shredded cabbage
• tri-color bell peppers

The Protein Part:

• tuna, I highly recommend Starkist Tuna Creations Sweet & Spicy
• or seasoned chicken breast

The Good Stuff:

• sprinkle of cashews
• sprinkle of sesame seeds
• sprinkle of ride noodles
• Newman's Own Sesame Ginger Low Fat Dressing

And, because you are being so darn good for dinner, how about some dessert?

Peaches & Cream

• slice/wedge two fresh peaches
• add to heated butter & brown sugar (as little as possible) in a non-stick skillet
• cook until yummy
• add splash or two of brandy or amaretto & cook alcohol down
• sprinkle with cinnamon
• serve warm over low fat vanilla ice cream or yogurt

SuperFood Note: spinach, red/yellow peppers, tuna & yogurt (even the frozen kind, if it has live cultures) are all SuperFoods that help fight again cancers & heart disease

Leftover potential: leftover salads are totally yuck & leftover dessert? what's that?